Best Actor

Steamy lesbian drama seduces Cannes Film Festival awards jury

The Cannes Film Festival’s top prize, Palme d’Or, was bestowed to Abdellatif Kechiche‘s steamy lesbian romance “Blue is the Warmest Color” by the nine-member jury presided over by Steven Spielberg. The jury gave actresses Adele Exarcholpoulos and Lea Seydoux honorary scrolls to acknowledge their bravery.

The French film beat the Coen brothers’ homage to 1960s folk music, “Inside Llewyn Davis,” which won the consolation kudo, the festival’s Grand Prix of the Jury. Ethan and Joel Coen were not present to accept the latter since they had scooted out of Cannes last week after the film’s premiere. Their prize was accepted by “Llewyn” star Oscar Isaac.

The previous two winners of the Palme d’Or — “Amour” (2012) and “The Tree of Life” (2011) — went on to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars where “Amour” claimed the trophy for Best Foreign Film. Only one of the past 64 winners of the Palme d’Or has bagged the top Oscar for Best Picture: “Marty” (1955).

Bruce Dern snagged the festival’s laurel for Best Actor for portraying a grumpy geezer in Alexander Payne‘s “Nebraska.” Two years ago, Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”), won the same prize before reaping the Oscar for Best Actor. In 2009, Christoph Waltz won the fest prize for “Inglourious Basterds” before garnering the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Below is a full list of award winners. Read the reactions of our readers here in our forums.